The present invention relates to an engine stopping device for stopping an internal combustion engine provided with an ignition system energized by a generator driven by the engine.
Internal combustion engines for use in a machine such as a small-sized generator or an agricultural machine which is not provided with batteries employ a magneto generator as a power source for the ignition circuit. In these machines, simplicity of construction is indispensable and a key switch, as in a batteries-provided engine, is not employed. The ignition circuit is normally connected with the magneto generator which act as a power source when rotated. The magneto generator, usually mounted on the crank shaft of the engine, is started by means of "rope start" or "kick start".
It is necessary to provide a special means for stopping the engine. Conventionally, a push-button switch is connected across the armature winding of the magneto generator and is pressed, when the engine is to be stopped, to short-circuit the output of the magneto generator. Because of the inertia of the engine and the magneto generator, the engine does not come to a standstill immediately and it takes more than a few seconds. If the push-button switch is released before the engine comes to a stand-still, the engine may be re-started, which may be dangerous. Particularly, where the engine is heated to a high temperature, the engine is easier to re-start even if the push-button is released when the engine is decelerated to a considerably low speed. The above-described arrangement thus requires burdensome operation to keep pressing the push-button for more than about five seconds. Another conventional arrangement employs a snap switch in place of the push-button switch. But with this arrangement, the operator sometimes tries to start the engine while the snap switch is left closed: the result is that the ignition plug is wet with fuel and starting of the engine is made even more difficult.